Reaching items placed on high shelves or in high cupboards can be difficult, particularly for those shorter in stature. To aid in reaching such items, various stair arrangements have been employed.
A conventional tradesman's ladder includes multiple tread portions referred to as rungs. Six foot is a common height for a tradesman's ladder. A ladder of this size is inconvenient in the context of a kitchen.
A step-stool is another form of stair often employed in kitchens. Typical step-stools include a padded seat portion and a stair module carried thereunder. The stair module typically includes two treads and the module is mounted under the seat to pivot from a stowed position directly underlying the seat outwardly to a deployed position in which the treads are presented to be stepped on.
Step-stools can also be too bulky for a kitchen. Ladders and step-stools also have the potential to topple should a person lean too far beyond the footprint of the ladder or stool. Of course, such toppling is dangerous.
Another form of an existing stair is referred to as a kick-step, which typically takes the form of a unitary body of plastic which presents a single tread on which a user may stand and which may be conveniently kicked about the kitchen to any desired position.
Kick-steps are typically less bulky and, being lower, less prone to toppling than ladders and step-stools. On the other hand, given their smaller size, kick-steps can be overlooked and so pose a tripping hazard.
Often a ladder, step-stool or kick-step is not available, e.g. because they have been packed away because they are unsightly. The absence of stairs often leads people to improvise by standing upon chairs and the like. This improvisation is particularly dangerous.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,667 discloses a stair in the form of an extensible and retractable step assembly. The step assembly includes slidable pivot linkages connecting the step to the base and permitting the step to be raised from the base when the base is extended in front of a cabinet. FIG. 2 of the patent is produced herein as FIG. 1. The patent includes:                “[w]hen the step S is raised and pulled forward, the cross pins 51 and 51a on the lower ends of linkage arms 49 and 49a are seated in the downwardly-offset notches 48 and 48a at the front ends of the respective slots 44 and 44a. This is a stable position of the linkages in which a weight on the step S, such as that of a person stepping on it, tends to maintain the linkage arms in this position.        To lower the step S into the base B, the user lifts the step enough to raise the cross pins 51 and 51 a on the lower ends of linkage arms 49 and 49a out of the downwardly offset notches 48 and 48a at the front ends of slots 44 and 44a. Then, these cross pins can be slid back along these slots to the fully retracted position.”        
Whilst the author of the document thought the raised position was a stable position, the present inventor has recognised that weight applied forward of the pivotal connection 50 in the vicinity of the front wall 40 has the potential to lift the cross pin 51a from its notch 48a, which may result in the step collapsing as a person moves their weight around on the step. Reaching down to raise and lower the step is also thought to be less than desirable.
With the foregoing in mind, the present invention aims to provide improvements in and for stairs or at least to provide an alternative in the marketplace.
It is not admitted that any of the information in this patent specification is common general knowledge, or that the person skilled in the art could be reasonably expected to ascertain or understand it, regard it as relevant or combine it in any way at the priority date.